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You are here: Home / Vocabulary / 100 Terms Every Sewist Should Know

100 Terms Every Sewist Should Know

February 6, 2026

100 Terms Every Sewist Should Know

No. Term Definition
1. Armscye Armhole opening in garment.
2. Backstitch Strong stitch sewn backward then forward.
3. Basting Temporary long stitches for holding.
4. Bias Fabric diagonal grain direction.
5. Bias binding Bias-cut strip finishing edges.
6. Bias tape Pre-folded bias strip for edges.
7. Blind hem Nearly invisible hem stitch.
8. Bobbin Lower thread spool in machine.
9. Bodice Garment upper portion above waist.
10. Bolt Roll of fabric for sale.
11. Buttonhole Slit finished for button closure.
12. Casing Fabric channel for elastic or cord.
13. Catch stitch Hem stitch with crisscross bites.
14. Chalk marker Marking tool; brushes off.
15. Clip Small cut into seam allowance.
16. Clipping points Notches cut to release curves.
17. Cording Narrow cord used for piping.
18. Crossgrain Fabric grain across the width.
19. Darning Mending holes with stitches.
20. Dart Folded wedge shaping fabric.
21. Drape How fabric hangs and moves.
22. Drawstring Cord pulled to gather.
23. Ease Extra room for movement.
24. Ease stitch Long stitches to shape smoothly.
25. Edgestitch Stitch close to fabric edge.
26. Elastic Stretch material for snug fit.
27. Embellishment Decorative addition to garment.
28. Facing Fabric finishing raw edge inside.
29. Feed dogs Machine teeth moving fabric.
30. Finger press Press seam with fingers.
31. Finishing Final edge treatment preventing fray.
32. Flat-felled seam Enclosed seam, very durable.
33. Fold line Pattern line indicating fold placement.
34. Fray Fabric edges unravel into threads.
35. French seam Enclosed seam for light fabrics.
36. Fusible interfacing Iron-on stabilizing fabric layer.
37. Gather Draw fabric into small folds.
38. Gore Shaped panel widening garment.
39. Grading Trimming seam allowances in layers.
40. Grainline Direction line on pattern piece.
41. Gusset Inserted piece adding room.
42. Handwheel Wheel turning machine needle manually.
43. Hem Finished lower edge of fabric.
44. Hem allowance Extra fabric for hemming.
45. Hem gauge Tool to measure hem depth.
46. Hong Kong finish Bias-bound seam allowance finish.
47. Hook and eye Small closure hardware pair.
48. Inseam Inner leg seam line.
49. Interfacing Stabilizer adding body and support.
50. Ironing board Padded surface for pressing.
51. Jersey Knit fabric with stretch.
52. Keyhole Rounded opening, often at neckline.
53. Knit Looped fabric with stretch.
54. Ladder stitch Invisible hand stitch for closing.
55. Layout Pattern placement on fabric.
56. Lining Inner layer covering seams.
57. Lockstitch Standard machine stitch type.
58. Loft Thickness and spring of batting.
59. Machine needle Needle used in sewing machine.
60. Marking notch Pattern cut marking alignment point.
61. Mitered corner Neat angled corner finish.
62. Muslin Plain cloth used for test garment.
63. Nap Fabric pile direction affecting color.
64. Needle plate Metal plate under presser foot.
65. Needle threader Tool to thread needle eye.
66. Notch Pattern alignment mark on edge.
67. Notions Small sewing supplies and hardware.
68. Overcast stitch Stitch preventing edge fraying.
69. Overlock Serger stitch trimming and finishing.
70. Pattern Template pieces for cutting fabric.
71. Pattern weights Weights holding pattern during cutting.
72. Picot edge Small looped decorative edge.
73. Pinking shears Zigzag scissors reducing fraying.
74. Pintuck Narrow stitched fold detail.
75. Piping Corded trim in seam.
76. Placket Finished opening for closure.
77. Pleat Folded fabric for fullness.
78. Presser foot Machine foot holding fabric down.
79. Pressing Ironing with up-and-down motion.
80. Pressing cloth Cloth protecting fabric while pressing.
81. Quilting Stitching layers together with padding.
82. Raw edge Unfinished cut fabric edge.
83. Right side Outer, visible fabric side.
84. Rolled hem Narrow hem rolled and stitched.
85. Rotary cutter Round blade tool for cutting.
86. Ruching Gathered fabric creating ripples.
87. Running stitch Basic hand stitch in and out.
88. Salvage Alternative spelling of selvage.
89. Seam Line where fabrics are stitched.
90. Seam allowance Fabric between seam and raw edge.
91. Seam ripper Tool to remove stitches.
92. Selvage Finished fabric edge preventing fray.
93. Serger Overlock machine for finishing seams.
94. Set-in sleeve Sleeve sewn into armscye.
95. Shank button Button with looped back.
96. Shears Large scissors for fabric.
97. Shirring Elasticized gathers made by stitching.
98. Sloper Basic fitted pattern block.
99. Snips Small scissors for thread trimming.
100. Staystitch Stitch line preventing edge stretching.
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